the power brokers have four days before the government starts slashing military and domestic spending. president obama is pushing for a stop gap measure that with avoid faxes on people earning less than $25,000. on capitol hill frustration is growing. both republicans and democrats sound look they have given up. outside the capitol democrats hauled out a times square ball prop with the emergency, don't drop the ball. >> the republicans refuse to ask those with the most in our society to give a little bit more. >> reporter: a simple stop gap measure is not what many in washington had hoped for. republicans blame president obama for the collapse of a bigger deal that would have cut spending and reduced the country's debt. >> it is the president's responsibility to lay out a plan and to bring people together but it's a total dereliction of duty and a lack of courage to deal with the issues. >> it rests in the hands of the senate. >>> president obama is scheduled to give an update on the fiscal cliff within the next 15 minutes. when that happens, we will join him live for that announcemen